HLN750-1 Dissertation


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Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:HLN750-1
Credit points:24
Other Requisite:Minimum overall course GPA of 5 and unit coordinator approval
Assumed Knowledge:

Completion of all coursework units is assumed knowledge.

Coordinators:Nicolie Jenkins | n2.jenkins@qut.edu.au
James Hughes | j1.hughes@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

To ensure high quality practice, advanced level practitioners are continually required to reflect upon and modify their own practice to incorporate knowledge of the most recent research evidence. This requires advanced skills in the critical evaluation, interpretation and application of research. The dissertation provides advanced skill development in these areas, and enables you to undertake a research project in specialised area of practice.

HLN750-1 Dissertation is offered in Semester 1, Semester 2 and Summer. This is the first component of a 48 credit point dissertation. You will need to enrol in HLN750-2 to complete the dissertation.

Note: The Summer offering is not available to Nursing students. Students in the School of Nursing should contact nursing.admin@qut.edu.au in the semester prior to enrolment for further information and guidance on supervision.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Critique the relevant literature pertaining to a research problem/ question in your discipline area
  2. Write a research proposal for addressing the research problem/question;
  3. Design an appropriate methodology for investigating the research problem/ question
  4. Critically interpret research findings, draw conclusions and make recommendations for future research in the area;
  5. Communicate research outcomes in accordance with accepted standards of scholarship, presentation and style

Content

The content of your dissertation will depend on the topic that you choose as the focus of your research. Other areas of learning focus on the expectations of scholarly work and the dissertation process including:

  • critically analysing and synthesising scholarly literature,
  • identifying a research question,
  • designing a theoretical and methodological framework,
  • conducting a research study,
  • analysing the results; and
  • communicating the research findings.

Learning Approaches

In this unit, you will learn by engaging in the research process and regular consultations with your dissertation supervisor. The frequency of meetings will be determined in consultation with your supervisor. Depending on your discipline area, you may also be participating in a series of seminar presentations. Consult with your supervisor for further details regarding additional teaching and learning approaches that may be used in your discipline area.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

You will receive formative feedback throughout the preparation of your dissertation including through the consultations with your supervisor, meetings with your peers or supervisory group (where utilised) and submission of a literature review, proposal presentation and draft dissertation materials. You will also have feedback from your supervisor on the final draft of your dissertation before it is submitted for examination.

Assessment

Overview

The sole summative assessment item is the dissertation. You will receive formative feedback on your literature review and proposal presentation.  The feedback for the literature review and proposal presentation will be ungraded, but you will receive indication of whether your progress is satisfactory or unsatisfactory prior to enrolment in HLN750-2.

During the development of your dissertation, you will need to meet several milestones. Your supervisor will guide you through what is required.

Your dissertation will be examined by academics in your discipline who have not been involved in the supervisory process.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale and S (Satisfactory) / U (Unsatisfactory)

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Literature Review

You will write an overview of your proposed research that presents the rationale for the proposed study and the research question of interest, provides a brief literature review and outlines the methodology to address the question that has been posed.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 0
Length: approx 3500 - 5000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 7 of enrolment in HLN750-1
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3

Assessment: Proposal Presentation

You will present your research proposal to your peers and academic staff. The research proposal will include the research problem, rationale and proposed method.

Threshold Assessment:

The sole summative assessment item is the dissertation itself, which is submitted in the second component of the dissertation, HLN750-2.  To support you through the dissertation, you will be advised on completion of assessment two if your progress to date through the dissertation is satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

Weight: 0
Length: 10-15 minutes
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 10 of enrolment in HLN750-1
Related Unit learning outcomes: 2, 3, 5

Assessment: Dissertation

As a researcher in your discipline, you will undertake a research project in response to a problem/question in your discipline area, and produce a dissertation for a scholarly audience. You will write an extended piece of scholarly work that defines a problem/question, reviews the literature related to the problem/question, describes the methodology that will be undertaken to investigate the research problem/question/hypothesis, critically interprets the findings and makes recommendations for future research in the area.

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

Weight: 100
Length: approx. 15,000 words
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): End of semester enrolment in HLN750-2
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Risk Assessment Statement

The risks in this unit are dependent on your research. These risks need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis and considered in consultation with your dissertation supervisor or other nominated advisors. You are referred to the university's health and safety website www.hrd.qut.edu.au/healthsafety/index.jsp for further information.

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

NS95 Master of Nursing

  1. Apply advanced knowledge and skills to manage and improve nursing practices across diverse and complex contexts to improve health outcomes and service provision.
    Relates to: Literature Review
  2. Critically analyse evidence to inform decision-making in advanced nursing and interprofessional care contexts. 
    Relates to: Literature Review, Dissertation
  3. Design and develop ethically appropriate research and/or professional plans that respond to a gap in health care that informs best practice. 
    Relates to: Literature Review, Proposal Presentation, Dissertation
  4. Communicate complex evidence-based findings through professional dissemination using a range of digital technologies. 
    Relates to: Proposal Presentation, Dissertation

PU86 Master of Public Health

  1. Apply advanced knowledge of public health principles to complex, current public health issues in diverse local and international contexts
    Relates to: Dissertation
  2. Critically analyse, synthesise and apply the specialised knowledge,theories and frameworks of public health practice
    Relates to: Literature Review, Dissertation
  3. Apply advanced oral,written and technical communication and research literacy skills to professional practice in interprofessional teams
    Relates to: Literature Review, Dissertation
  4. Engage professionally to advance efficient and equitable gains in population health through leadership and culturally-safe, evidence-based practice.
    Relates to: Dissertation

PU87 Master of Health Management and Leadership

  1. Design innovative and strategic responses to health leadership and management challenges to improve consumer, community, organisational and system level outcomes.
    Relates to: Dissertation
  2. Critique and engage in research to inform ethical, evidence-based health management and policy decisions.
    Relates to: Literature Review, Proposal Presentation, Dissertation
  3. Formulate strategies for culturally safe and inclusive approaches to optimise health system design and service delivery.
    Relates to: Dissertation
  4. Communicate, collaborate and negotiate with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to co-design equitable and sustainable healthcare.
    Relates to: Proposal Presentation, Dissertation